In medicine, a protocol is a predefined set of steps and guidelines for conducting medical procedures, treatments, or clinical trials. It ensures consistency, accuracy, and ethical standards in healthcare practices.
The study protocol is a document outlining the design of a study, describing the objectives, methodology and overall organization of the research to be carried out forming a template and guide to the research process as a whole.
Clinical protocol, has a more specific meaning. It describes a method to be used in a clinical trial (e.g. of a drug or medical treatment) or a medical research study.
A set of rules is followed by providers such as EMTs or nurses. Often considered to be stricter than a guideline, and to carry more weight with the law, but there is no hard evidence to support this view and the terms are usually used interchangeably.
see Stupp protocol.